Biofilms coating Schoenoplectus californicus as indicators of water quality in the Río de la Plata Estuary (Argentina)

Autor/es:

GOMEZ, N.

Revista:

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

Editorial:

Springer

Referencias:

Año: 2007 p. 1 - 1

ISSN:

0167-6369

Resumen:

Abstract Community composition, structure, biomass
and tolerance to pollution of biofilms growing
on Schoenoplectus californicus were assessed, together
with physico-chemical parameters of the water, to
evaluate their usefulness as water quality indicators
along the Argentinian shore of the freshwater zone of
the Río de la Plata Estuary. Monthly sampling was
carried out at three sites, one of which, located in a
nature reserve, was considered as the reference site
while the others were affected by sewage outlets and
port activity. The reference site had higher dissolved
oxygen and turbidity values, the polluted sites greater
conductivity, oxygen demands, phosphate, ammonium
and nitrite values. Diatoms dominated the
biofilms at the reference site; ciliates reached higher
densities at the polluted sites. Significant differences
were found in species numbers, species diversity
index, biomass, tolerance to pollution of the taxa, and
the Pampean Diatom Index, between the reference
and the impacted sites. This study shows that the
biofilms growing on Schoenoplectus californicus are
good indicators of the changes in the water quality of
their environment.